"Seems just a play on words. “We’re not telling you to obey us, we’re just punishing you if you don’t obey us”."

Our tax code is full of such punishments: don't own a tree farm? Then you're not getting the tree farm tax break. Don't own an oil drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico? Then you're not getting The Oil Drilling Platform in the Gulf of Mexico tax break.

They raised taxes on everyone, and if you have health insurance you get a tax break.

Not paying your bill in my state is considered "theft of services" and you can go to jail. The party in question refused to pay their lawful bill.

Fun Fact: Manatees have fingernails on their front flippers.